Buda postpones water fluoridation to hold public hearing

Buda City Manager Kenneth Williams announced in a press release Thursday night that the city will place on hold the scheduled fluoridation of its water supply.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, several members of the public spoke about the issue, including some from newly formed group Buda Citizens for Safe Water, prompting Mayor Todd Ruge to request a public hearing on matter on Feb. 7.

The city council will revisit the issue and make a final decision at some point following that meeting, according to the release. Kenneth could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

Buda had been adding fluoride to its water since 2002 when it first became a customer of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. The authority operates the San Marcos Water Treatment Plant and stopped fluoride treatment after San Marcos residents voted to discontinue the pratice in November 2015.